BROTHER IN ARMS
Liam Hemsworth’s twenties ended with his house burning down, major surgery and the tabloids descending on his personal life. Now, after a total rebuild, he’s feeling stronger than ever
Liam Hemsworth has bulked up to rival his mighty sibling’s size. Here are his secrets
Do you think he works out?” Liam Hemsworth jokes, enthusiastically flicking through some of the shots we’ve just taken. Witty and self-deprecating, he’s quick to bat away compliments while also dishing out plenty of his own to the crew. As the youngest of the Aussie acting brood holds court, the jokes come thick and fast. “How’s the rig on him?” he says, admiring the state of his own arms.
It’s a comment delivered without a trace of arrogance, but he’s undeniably right. “The rig on him” represents the best shape he has ever been in. He’s proud of himself. He’s also grateful for the solace and focus that training has given him.
“This last six months, honestly, just for keeping my head level and staying balanced, I’d say exercise has been big for me,” he says. Fitness as a refuge from mental turmoil is a theme that celebrities often trot out. But having lost his house and recently undergone one of the most high-profile divorces in Tinseltown, Hemsworth was a prime candidate. Judging by his physique, it has been a particularly productive form of escape.
The actor sought the help of Rise Movement’s Jason Walsh, completing gruelling hour-long sessions with workout partners ranging from Jared Leto to Jake Gyllenhaal. “We do 60-minute workouts or more sometimes,” he says. “It’s just high intensity. A mixture of calisthenics, sled pulls, sled pushes and lots of free-weight stuff. But we don’t stop for the entire 60 minutes. You’re sweating and breathing hard, but also moving a lot of weight as well.”
He has done his research when it comes to health and wellness, rattling off the names of books and podcasts on nootropics and cold-water immersion therapy. It’s Wim Hof and his ice baths, however, that he is most keen on at the moment. “I know that when I’m working out really hard and doing more than four days a week, if I’m including an ice bath in among all that, my recovery is better, for sure,” he says. A week after our interview, Hemsworth and his brother Chris plan to train in Norway with Hof.
That brotherly bond is something he has really leaned on.
“I really look up to Chris. He has a stronger work ethic than most people
I’ve ever worked with. He’s so focused and takes it so seriously, and he’s so good at it. Having him is incredible.”
The brothers share a disarming authenticity and natural likeability. Yet, for all their similarities, including those trademark ice-blue eyes and cheeky grins, Liam is anything but a Chris Hemsworth lite. He’s Liam, full strength. And he has now reached the point where he wants the world to know it.